MILITARY FLIGHT SAFETY 1984
Military
flight
safety:
1984
reviewed
FLIGHT DATA
The fifth annual survey of military accidents and incidents shows a slight decrease over last year's
figures, down from 420 to 407 entries. But,
as in previous surveys, it must be borne in
mind that while every attempt is made to
ensure that the list is as complete as possi
ble, there must be some losses of which we
are not aware.
Last year we asked if the new gener
ation of combat aircraft was bringing with
it a new generation of flight safety prob
lems. It would appear to be so.
A recent article by Maj Lew Witt in the
US Air Force's TAC Attack magazine
outlines a "new" hazard— GLC or g-
induced loss of consciousness. GLC is
blacking out, yes, but did you know that
you can black yourself out without going
through the warning signs of tunnel vision
and grey out?
Rapid g onset can bypass the body's
warning system and momentarily inter
rupt the flow of blood to the brain. In this
case the classic warning signs, tunnel
vision and grey out do not occur. One
second you're conscious, the next you are
out.
USAF centrifuge tests show that a
period of functional incapacitation follows
GLC, averaging around 15sec. Test
subjects are seen to grunt, mumble, and
move their heads and arms in an unco
ordinated and haphazard manner. The
subject is completely incapable of
responding to outside stimuli. Following
the incapacitation is about lOsec of
confusion and disorientation. Subjects
knew what they had to do but described
feelings of detachment and apathy. Others
described this period as dream-like and
slow motion (temporal distortion).
So from sudden onset of g to complete
recovery can take from 15sec to 30sec. In
one accident where GLC is suspected, the
pilot started an aggressive slicing
manoeuvre in air combat training. The
aircraft unloaded, accelerated and went in
from over 10,000ft. From turn initiation to
impact was less than 30sec. At low level
there is virtually no chance of recovery.
The USAF suspects GLC as the cause in
at least one A-10 accident, and several
F-16 accidents—all fatal.
What is the answer? The first step is
awareness of the problem. Another is a
new high-flow valve for anti-g suits which
opens sooner and puts more air into the
suit more quickly. The third and best
method found so far is to start "straining"
and "grunting" slightly before g onset, not
after. This increases your tolerance level
by around 3g, whereas the suit will only
improve it by lg. •
The pilot ejected
safely from this
RAF Harrier GR.3
(above) after it
developed an engine
fire, but his ejection
seat fell into the
airshow crowd,
killing a spectator.
Right Both pilots
got out of this
RAAF Mirage
IIIDO before it
nose-dived into a
swamp
A Army; AAEE Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment; AB Air Base; AF Air Force; AFA Air Force Academy; AFB Air Force Base; AKG Aufklarungsgeschwader; ANG
Air National Guard; AP Airport; AvCo Aviation Company; AW Air Wing; Bgd Brigade; BW Bomb Wing; CAB Cavalry Air Brigade; CAF Canadian Armed Forces; CAG Canadian
Air Group; CFS Central Flying School; CG Coast Guard; CNK circumstances not known; EC Escadre; ETPS Empire Test Pilots' School; EVA Sqn (Spain); F Wing (Sweden); FIS
Fighter Interceptor Sqn; Fit Flight; Fradu Fleet Requirements and Aircraft Direction Unit; FTS Flying Training School; HMA Marine Helicopter Attack Sqn; HMH Marine Heavy
Helicopter Sqn; HML Marine Light Helicopter Sqn; HMM Marine Medium Helicopter Sqn; JBG Jagdbombergeschwader; JG Jagdgeschwader; MAN Manufacturer; MAW Military
Airlift Wing; MC Marine Corps; MFG Marinefleigergeschwader; N Navy; IMAS Naval Air Station; NATC Naval Air Test Centre; NK Not known; NOE Nap-of-the-earth (flight); OCU
Operational Conversion Unit; PD Pre-delivery; Rgt Regiment; SRW(S) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Sqn); TAW(S) Tactical Airlift Wing (Sqn); TCW(S) Tactical Control Wing
(Sqn); TFTS Tactical Fighter Training Sqn; TFW(S) Tactical Fighter Wing (Sqn); TPS Test Pilot School (US Navy); TRW(S)(G) Tactical Recce Wing (Sqn)(Grp); TTTE Trinational
Tornado Training Establishment; TWU Tactical Weapons Unit; VA Fleet Attack Sqn; VAQ Tactical Electronics Warfare Sqn; VF Fleet Fighter Sqn; VMA(Q) Marine Tactical
Electronics Warfare/Attack Sqn; VMA(T) Marine Attack Training Sqn; VMFA Marine Fighter Attack Sqn; VP Fleet Patrol Sqn; VS Fleet Anti-submarine Sqn; VT Fleet Training Sqn;
WG Wing; W.G. West Germany.
FLIGHT International, 23 March 1985 23